WuXing Warriors
by Encore19
Summary: Now that Omi and his friends are fully-fledged dragons it us up to them to train the next generation. But instead of four dragons there are five.
1. The Dragon of Wood

**。ش WυXιηg Wαrrιors ش 。**

* * *

【The Dragon of Wood】

In the mountainous Chinese village of Jing Shi the crowing of roosters could be heard beyond morning mist clouds. Rice farmers were beginning their days' work; straw hatted villagers carrying carts of vegetables to the markets. The whole city was on a slope and from each level you could look down and see more Eastern tiled rooftops and drifting mist. At the very top was the Jing Shi Monastery, and beneath the impressive structure was a plateau of square tiles. The monks' tai chi space occasionally reserved for combat practice.

A sixteen-year-old Polynesian boy in silk green robes stood surrounded by three older monks. The monks were Chinese, dressed in white with straw hats. Carefully they circled the young man, hands weaving in preparation. The boy stood calm and focused. Another rooster crowed and the men attacked.

The boy leapt away from a strike, ducked under a kick. Backed away while deflecting the rapid series of punches from his third opponent. Jumped back and cartwheeled away, flipping backward several times before landing in a crouch.

"Nice defense and evasion, Tahi." One of the monks smirked as the three crept over. "Now why don't you show the Master Dragon how you attack?"

"You asked for it." The youth known as Tahi smirked confidently and changed his stance, stooping with arms straight.

He had a flip of dark hair over hard-angled brows. Bronzed skin contrasted against white teeth from his broad smile. A greenstone necklace and tribal tattoos down his left arm peeking out through his garment.

Tahi crouched then flew "Pecking rooster!" his hands blurred and the monk struggled to block the jabs before the youth's leg hooked around his neck and threw him down.

Tahi jumped over and stood on one leg, bird-like. Suddenly he changed stance "Crouching Tiger!" dropped down low before flying at the other monk, pushing off his guard and sliding in a circle. Pouncing again and throwing him off his feet. The last monk hit Tahi's back with an elbow, he fell in a crouch and spun around. The last enemy raised his leg for a finishing blow.

Tahi cupped his palm and swept his arm upward. Tiles shattered as a tree shot up, the monk cried out as he was carried upward. Leaves sprouted in an instant, an eight-foot tall tree stood in the courtyard's centre. The monk's limbs were trapped by branches at the top.

He struggled before relaxing "Nicely done, Tahi…"

The youth stood and swept his hands down his middle, exhaling. The branches shifted and the monk was able to pull himself free and slide down the trunk. The other two were getting to their feet as the witness approached with a slow clapping.

"Master Dragon." Tahi turned and got on one knee, lowering his head.

"I am most impressed with your display of skills." The robed man said. "But please, you may call me Omi."

The Xiaolin Water Dragon was thirty-years-old. On the shorter side but still much taller than he'd been in younger days. His round head was oval in shape. Omi gave a respectful bow back to the kneeling boy.

"Omi?" he raised his head.

"Master Dragon Omi!" he gleefully puffed out his chest. In all the years he still had his grandiose ego, though innocently so.

"Master Dragon Omi, are you going to teach me?"

"Come with me, young dragon-in-training. Let us walk." He turned away with arms behind his back. Tahi stood up and followed him. They made for the stairs and began climbing back up to the monastery's grounds. "Your fighting style is most impressive. In my generation there were only four of us dragons as we were based off the Western elements. However your generation has five, based off the Chinese elements."

"I've never even met the other four dragons…" he admitted.

"And I have never before met a Dragon of Wood." Omi spoke conversationally, stopping by a pink peach tree, watching the hummingbirds flutter in-out wooden homes. "Your martial arts is… adaptable yet expansive. Weaving and also flourishing, like wood. What Kung Fu styles do you use?"

"I've mastered three of the twelve animal styles. Rooster, Tiger and Monkey." Tahi reported.

"Interesting choices." Omi began pacing thoughtfully. "And the reason why you've only learnt three Kung Fu styles is because you're balancing your physical training with your spiritual training."

"It's helped me with my Chi control, so I can grow trees and stuff."

"Yes… and while I am no Dragon of Wood I will endeavor to train you however I can." Omi stopped to scratch his chin. "Wood has similarities to both earth and water, though is uniquely its own style. But perhaps it is the same leopard with different spots…"

"I don't get that weird expression, but thank you Master Dragon Omi." Tahi pressed his fist to his palm and gave a slight bow.

"I will confer with my old Master for advice. I will stay here in Jing Shi and we shall learn to make you out of a proper dragon of wood yet." Omi returned the bow.

**。**


	2. Mortal Enemies

【Mortal Enemies】

While Master Dragon Omi was tending to other matters, young Tahi continued his training. He practiced his tai chi stances and meditated with the other monks. With the agile precision of his Rooster style he jumped between poles atop a lotus pond. Later raced an obstacle course and dodged sandbags with his pouncing Tiger style. In the late evening he was climbing the giant sequoia trees with his Monkey style at the forest edge of Jing Shi city.

He got to a high branch and sat cross-legged, overlooking the view as the burning sun set.

"Grand Master Omi said training starts at dawn. What's he been so busy with to take up his first day here?"

Tahi took a deep breath and relaxed himself, gently closing his eyes. A few seconds later his sensitive ears detected a _whoosh_, he opened his eyes and saw a reflective flash. Several feet to his left a sword flew and embedded itself in the trunk. Tahi stared; the hilt was ornate, straps around the handle and a tail of red strings swishing. He was over fifty feet in the air, who could possibly be strong or skilled enough to hurl that sword like a javelin from such a distance and have it stick half-way into the tree like that?

Peering down he could see a lone figure standing at the base. It was somebody dressed in white, but too young to be from the monastery. Tahi determinedly threw himself off his branch, falling as wind whipped through his garments and hair. The ground approached and he expertly swished his arms, a branch sprouting downward and curving, allowing Tahi to slide with his feet. Landing in a crouch as bark and leaves fell, standing to face his attacker.

Another teenager stood before him, strapped up with weapons of all kinds. A scabbard on his back containing three swords, a circular shield on one side of his sash, a metal mask sitting on the other side. His skin was chocolate-brown, he had hooded eyes and a narrow face. He was a few inches shorter than Tahi's full six-feet height, body a slim musculature. At the sight of him Tahi felt a great disharmony, a clash of personalities even though he didn't know this boy. But somehow in his core he felt unrest between them.

"You're the metal raider!" Tahi pointed at the metal mask. "You're the criminal that's been breaking into palaces all across the province!" They started circling each other.

"That's right. I'm the one who's been stealing from the rich and giving to the poor."

"We were taught Kung Fu to keep the balance, not to cause unrest across the country."

"I don't care, I work alone. And until the Heylin return I'm going to continue reforming the world by myself." They stopped and faced each other with the forest on one side and the city on the other.

"Then I'll hand you in to the police!" Tahi flew back to his branch, gripping and spinning over, slinging himself at his opponent "Monkey Strike!"

"Coiling Snake!" the boy's stance changed as he swept the kick aside, Tahi found himself rolling over undulating shoulders and then falling, grunting as he hit the ground and skid. Tahi got on all fours and spat dirt, turning to face the boy who'd barely moved. That style had deflected him perfectly.

"Alright… Pecking Rooster!" he was up on one leg, arms like arched wings. Flying over and rapidly pecking his hands, his enemy blocked every strike without losing so much as a step.

Then his stance morphed into a scurry "Scavenging Rat!" He blurred out of Tahi's vision and struck with two palms, fingers clawed. Again Tahi flew forward and tumbled painfully. A smirk flickered on the boy's face as he took his Rat stance.

The Polynesian boy growled with anger before leaping up once more "Crouching Tiger!"

"Crouching Tiger!" his opponent was learned in the same style, and although their lunges were identical Tahi still found himself blocked off and thrown over, as easily as if he'd never been trained. He hit the ground winded and blinked, thinking that it couldn't be possible. No one had ever been able to beat him so easily, this must be some kind of trick.

"Even with the same style…? How are you doing this? It's like your version of Kung Fu is the anti of mine. Who are you?"

The boy looked over his shoulder, face impassive again. A silver sheen to his robes in the dying light "It's because we're mortal enemies. My name's Jelani."

Wood was a tenacious element, Tahi found himself crouching up yet again. Determinedly he weaved his arms and a tree burst out of the ground below Jelani's feet. It rapidly expanded while the other boy backflipped away, his circular metal shield dislodging and flying like a frisbee. Jelani landed in a perfect squat with one arm up. The tree was sawn right through, the top half falling in a crash and Tahi jumping back as the disc spun past him. The metal circle whizzed around the huge sequoia tree and returned to its owner, hovering in place before him.

Jelani stood with his arm still raised, the sword from earlier flew back, stopping in mid-air before turning itself around and sliding into its hilt with the others.

"Jelani… you're the Dragon of Metal! Aren't we on the same side?"

"Our elements are mortal enemies. And I'll never forgive you for what you've done, Wan!"

"Wan…? My name's Tahi!"

The dark-skinned boy glared without speaking. Finally he closed his eyes and faced away "We'll meet again and I'll make sure you pay, one day..." Turning away he retreated toward the forest path.

Tahi was angry and sore. He didn't have the energy to chase the guy down though he dearly wanted to. How could he have been bested so easily? He'd never before felt so helpless. Clutching his winded side, Tahi began his walk back into the city.

**。**

After climbing back to the monastery he went up to the first monk he could find "I need to speak to Master Dragon Omi!"

And after the message was relayed Omi continued to sip from his tea while sitting on his mat "This is most unpleasant news. I myself have not met this Jelani, Dragon of Metal. But to discover a Xiaolin Dragon is using his elemental kung fu as a vigilante criminal… this is most unfortunate. You must meet me and Master Fung at the crack of dawn outside the meditation hall and we shall discuss the matter."

"Thank you, Master Dragon Omi." Tahi gave another bow and winced, made his way down the halls and left Omi's chambers.

After travelling to his own little room he lay back on his mat and rested, setting an alarm to get up early next day.

**。**

It was before dawn when Tahi woke, his body tense and twitching at remembering how powerless he'd been in his earlier fight. Tahi had time to walk to the bathhouse and shower, scrubbing himself atop the smooth tiles. Changing into clean clothes and stepping out just as dawn light broke on the mountain of Jing Shi city. Ducks and geese could be heard squawking amidst the residential homes. In his green silk robes Tahi made his way over to the meditating chamber, standing there were two adults. The bald Omi stood beside a wizened old man, the famous Master Fung who'd trained the last generation of dragons now an old sage.

Tahi bowed "Master Fung."

"Hello young apprentice." He had twinkling blue eyes. "Let us sit by this pond as we discuss your training."

The lilies sat undisturbed atop the clear surface. Omi and Tahi sat side-by-side while Master Fung sat cross-legged, the serene environment helped to calm the young dragon. He took a deep breath before speaking.

"Jelani was able to defeat me without breaking a sweat. I've never seen anything like it. It was scary as hell…"

"Metal is an element that is righteous, stubborn and independent. It is ambitious, representing the direction West. It is also the natural enemy of the element Wood." Master Fung explained with a finger in the air.

"But if we're natural enemies… how are all five of us supposed to defend the world from the Heylin forces if they ever return?"

"The relationships between the five Chinese elements are complicated, that's why the five of you have been trained apart." Master Fung explained. "Your different styles are representative of the ancient Chinese philosophy of WuXing."

"I may be no Dragon of Wood," Omi began with a hand to his chest. "But I am confident I can help Tahi master his strange element. In Western philosophy, fire and wind are the yang elements. Wind makes fire hotter, which is probably why Raimundo and Kimiko are married and have babies now, even as fellow Master Dragons…" he scratched his chin curiously before continuing "Water and earth are the yin elements, they are less changeable, they co-exist on the world's surface, water smooths the harsh edges of the earth." Omi gave a proud smile at his deduction.

"Wood may be the combination of water and earth in Western philosophy Master Dragon Omi," Fung began "But in Chinese philosophy Wood is the most yang of all the five elements." The old man returned his stare to Tahi "Amongst the five elements you will find positive and negative relationships. After the proper training the five of you will be able to set your differences aside should the need arise for you to fight the Heylin once more."

"So… how do we train me?" Tahi asked.

"There is a sacred temple in a hidden valley known as the Jade Palace. It is a mystical place where dragon masters have trained for thousands of years. There may be no living Dragon of Wood, but there is sure to be a plethora of knowledge amongst the ancient scrolls."

"You're going to take me to this Jade Palace to continue my training?"

"Not yet young dragon." Omi turned to him "There is a particular reason why I was called to Jing Shi city."

"Unlike metal, the element of water is an ally to wood. While metal is your ultimate adversary, water will be able to make you stronger." Fung explained. "The new Dragon of Water is on his way to Jing Shi city. While he assists with your element training, Master Dragon Omi will be able to pass on his knowledge of the element. After the cooperative training is complete you will be able to learn what you can in the mystical Jade Palace."

"Alright," Tahi grinned at the older masters. "Sounds like a plan."

**。**


End file.
